U19: Bray 2:0 Rovers

TAME FINISHING COSTS HOOPS DEARLY

Bray Wanderers AFC 2 (O’Kane, Akinade)

Shamrock Rovers 0

FAI Airtricity Under 19 League

Saturday, 29th September, 2012

At Carlisle Grounds

Days out at the seaside are supposed to be happy ones but not this day for Rovers as a game Bray side took them by surprise and inflicted the first defeat of the season on to Declan Hevey’s team. The writing was on the cards right from the start when, after just four minutes Gerard Pender got by the Hoops defence to slot a ball towards Stephen Morris’ left but it just went narrowly wide. That was a let off for Rovers and a warning to them.

The Hoops responded and battled well, particularly in midfield. Kelvin Jackson went on a good run towards the end line but was blocked by left full David Crosbie for a throw and Jackson was again quickly foiled by centre half Edward McDonagh who came to his side’s rescue at the expense of a corner.

Toyeeb Mustapha and Dylan Kearny, aided by Glody N’say were bossing the middle of the park for the Hoops but Bray were managing to break from the back and set up some moves that caused a lot of danger. Dean Murphy managed to block a shot by Bray’s Sean Hurley in the nineteenth minute but Rovers responded immediately with a move that ended with Kearney shooting over the bar.

Bray’s Edward McDonagh - son a famous father!

Disaster hit the Hoops after twenty-two minutes when Neil O’Kane managed to get around Murphy on the left and strike a low drive that crossed the line into the corner of the net. Parity might have been restored a minute later but Kearney hit his shot from a free kick straight into the arms of Bray ‘keeper Stephen McGuinness. Then, after Pender and Hurley combined for Bray, Alan Kehoe cleared the ball for a corner, Morris might have had it otherwise but McDonagh headed wide.

Rovers created numerous chances but their finishing was unusually tame and McGuinness wasn’t particularly troubled. Twice before half time James Mullaney was called upon to deal with a threat from Pender and then the Laois lad himself had a shot at McGuinness at the other end after he took the ball up field and saw that the chance was on.

The second half had only just begun when centre half Mullaney was again quick to deal with a threat from Adrian Rafferty. Rovers continued to create chances but couldn’t deliver the killer punch. Seven minutes into the second half Kearney forced McGuinness into action from a free kick when the ‘keeper could only palm the ball out for a corner.

Bray defended in numbers and began to grow in confidence as the Hoops wasted their chances. The home side doubled their lead in the 80^th minute after substitute Ismahil Akinade managed to score from an extremely tight angle. Rovers had chances, Mark Sandford was blocked by Crosbie and Mullaney took the ball into the box and swung it across the face of the goal but his team mates failed to read the move and a good opportunity was missed.

It looked like Bray would add further to their score in the ninety-second minute when Akinade bore down on goal with only Morris in front of him but Mullaney came across from the left and dispossessed the striker to prevent a possible goal.

For Bray Adrian Rafferty was outstanding but of particular interest to Hoops fans is the news that former centre half Jacko McDonagh, one of the heroes from the famous Shamrock Rovers Four in a Row team, revealed that Bray’s number 5, Edward McDonagh, is his son! And for sure, young Edward looked every bit like his dad did when he was his age. One to watch out for no doubt.

Bray Wanderers: 1. Stephen McGuinness, 2. Conor Ffrench, 3. David Crosbie, 4. Thomas Lahiff, 5. Edward McDonagh, 6. Paul Clifford (Dowling), 7. Adrian Rafferty (Cox 91 mins), 8. Colm Begley, 9. Gerard Pender (Akinade), 10. Sean Hurley, 11. Neil O’Kane. Substitutes: 12. Craig Dowling, 14. Ross Griffin, 15. Adam Cox, 16. Ismahil Akinade

Shamrock Rovers: 1. Stephen Morris, 2. Nathan Brown, 3. Alan Kehoe, 4. James Mullaney, 5. Dean Murphy, 6. Toyeeb Mustapha (Dick 85 mins), 7. Dylan Kearney (Tambwe 56 mins), 8. Glody Nsay, 9. Dean Ebbe, 10. Mark Sandford, 11. Kelvin Jackson (Stafford 81 mins). Substitutes: 17. Jamie Goonery, 18. Ryan Dick, 19. John Tambwe, 20. Adam Walsh, 21. Joseph Lennon-Maher, 22. Clayton Stafford, 25. Alex Condell

Match report by Robert Goggins